I did a degree in Chemical Engineering, spent 5 years and got an MEng with Distinction at the end of it. Went when I was 17 and graduated at 22 last year. Was definitely worth it: got a good job, let me buy a new car, now saving for a home. Most importantly, I do generally enjoy my job, I have the usual period where I hate it but not many people love their jobs constantly.
I haven't graduated yet, but would definitely recommend a placement year. I certainly learnt more about what I wanted to do in that year than at any other time
what did you do? : BA(Hons.) Music Technology was it worth it/ not worth it : Probably worth it. I met loads of useful people & partied hard. what are the main benefits of doing a degree? Booze, fags & dirty mags how old were you? are you now? Started at 18, finished at 21. I'm now 29 & technical manager at an IT company
what did you do? Photography was it worth it/ not worth it? Yes what are the main benefits of doing a degree? Less prescriptive than a HND, and more academic, so you learn to learn more... if that makes sense. how old were you? are you now? I was 30 on graduation. 41 now. As a photographer, it was essential to stop me being one of these idiots who think that being a photographer means having **** loads of expensive equipment, and going around taking crap HDR pics and pointless landscapes that say nothing to anyone. Then don't participate. Getting feedback from your peers regarding seminal moment in your life/career is better than all the bloody "Will this list of components/links to e-buyer be OK" threads posted by 12 year old kids who have no intention of buying anything.
I'd do a degree in a subject you are interested in just for the experience of university, even if it doesn't put you on a firmer ground for direct employment. I wouldn't say do a degree for the sake of it, but if it's a subject you really love and feel like you want to carry it on into much higher levels and that you can commit to it, then go for it.
What did you do? (What are you doing) Working on a Dual Mechanical/Aerospace Degree Main benefits: Have you ever heard of a *proper* engineer that doesn't have a degree How old? 19 and still studying
Uh, I have heard of a lot of proper engineers without degrees My lecturers are aerospace engineers and did a mixture of years in the industry (mainly in the RAF, 4 did 20+ years, one had a job offer of £72K pa as well as a house (though it was in Aberdeen so he said 'no' ))... And my brother designs pipelines for an oil refinery and has never set foot in a university. So... a degree is not vital to engineer *Isn't intending to go and do a degree* Pros... Social life? Bragging value when talking to the ladies... Cons... Expensive Liver damage By the time my friends are out of uni I will be on a job earning about £25k a year and as I gain type certifications I will be able to work on more and more highly paying jobs.
I went to university with only a vague idea of what job I might like to get in the future and picked my degree accordingly. I picked Physics, it's probably the subject I found most interesting at school, and then I could go on to do a research type job, engineering, or do something like accounting. Unfortunately physics is famed for being probably the worst degree when it comes to draining your enthusiasm for the subject. The best bit of advice I can give you though is don't go there if you're going for the "social experience", there isn't really anything more to social life at uni than there is to anyone else, you can still get monumentally pissed at the weekends if you're at uni or not. I would say the only unique thing uni has over a normal social life is the societies. Generally speaking you don't really find social clubs outside of uni unless you're old. Yes Expect on your first day of work for your degree to be almost useless
Computer Engineering: Passed and have a job in comms engineering Uni is great but after you pass you'll be annoyed that you didnt do better but you'll be happy you passed when you talk to non-grads and uni time (17-21) is the best time of your life, no doubt.
I dropped out of my Mathematical Sciences degree, and I do regret it. Maths degrees are rare things these days and would have helped me stand out from the crowd when the recession hit - instead I was just another young person with some A levels. I intend to finish my Maths degree at the Open University.
I never went to university and had regretted it for a long time...definately one of the biggest mistakes I made in the past and mustering up the motivation to try again was difficult. Employers would never take me seriously and I pretty much had to do a call centre job for over a year. I got incredibly lucky in life and employment wise and I think many things have worked out purely by hardwork and luck. I work in a good job now which isnt the most well paid but its not bad at all and enough to life a decent life on. Its doing really important work in my community too helping rehabilitate offenders and I really enjoy it. Also it has good prospects as my employers allow people to train and gain accreditation through training programs and even qualifications through university more related in the field - I have already gained an NVQ level 3 as well as a bunch of other qualifications in my field of work and hope to apply for the next set of qualifications they put on offer. My advice is it is really important - I got lucky but theres many out there that never get this lucky break. If i didnt I would be incredibly depressed as I knew I had potential but no means to prove it until someone gave me a break. I wouldnt want anyone like me to experience this so I would definately say - Get a Degree. But a degree isnt everything. I work in a position thats higher than those with a fantastic education. A degree is your ticket into the arena, a free pass into job interviews over others usually...but you have to shine and prove your worth in them...but its better to have one than to not.
@wst and Veles, Well I guess I have been proven wrong. Although by Proper Engineer i consider a person who has passed the equivalent of the "Principles and Practices of Engineering" exam here in the U.S. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principles_and_Practice_in_Engineering_Exam
Well, the Aerospace degree wielding lecturer couldn't get a job with aerospace companies because he can't figure out where the wings are tbh no practical knowledge at all. It depends on the trade. The more theoretical you want your job to be, the more useful a degree would be.
Just because you haven't got a degree doesn't mean you haven't done engineering exams, there are many other qualifications other than degrees, many people seem to forget this, especially when they make vocational courses into degrees (which is wrong IMO). In fact, even after you've passed an engineering degree you're not a proper, proper engineer over here, you still need to do lots of stuff to become chartered. There are actually very few professions that really require a degree, there are usually alternate qualifications that will do the job just as well. Degrees are a bit stodgy and unfocused, they're great at giving a foundation if you're not precisely sure what you want to do though.
